Luggage



Jang-,1o v1924.

E. DRESNER LUGGAGE Filed July 3o,

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Patented `lune l0, 1924.

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EMANUEL nnnsivnn, or CHICAGO, rLLiNoIs.

LUGGAGE.

Application led July 30, 1921i. Serial No. 488,550.

To all-whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EMANUEL DRESNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Luggage, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to luggage and more specifically to an improvementl in the type of luggage commonly known as a Gladstone bag. These containers, With rectangular ends and sides, are obviously the most efficient form when the available storage space is considered, but they are much less popularthan they should be, because they lose their shape so easily. Y

One object of my invention is to materially increase the rigidity of a piece of luggage of this type.

Another object is to accomplish an increase in durability by increasing the rigidity of only a relatively small portion of the entire structure.

Another object is to fasten this reenforcement in place in a simple and economical way, Without materially altering the appearance of the finished article, and with the changes resulting from the reenforcement so disposed as to be ornamental.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become yapparent as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bag constructed according to my invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a partly completed bag;

Figure 3 is a detailed section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1; and

Figs. 4 and 5 are views similar to Fig. 2 on a smaller scale, showing modifications.

In the embodiment of my invention selected for illustration, the container is formed of two similar opposed portions 10, shown as being of substantially equal depth, which portions are pivoted by hinges (not shown) along the line of their abutting edges in the center of the bottom of the closed bag. Sheet metal frames 12 define the abutting edges of the two portions along the top and both ends of the bag, and carry the fastening devices 14, the lock 16 and the handle 18.

The side wall 20, the end Walls 22 andthe top wall 24 of each portion 10, are all formed from a single integral piece of stiff cardboard'or similary material, bent as at 26 and 28 to define the edges of the finished article. The entire outer surface of the portion 10 is then covered with leather, fabric, or other suitable cover-ing material 30, and the abutting edges of the top Wall 24 and side walls 22 are united and covered over by cover pieces 32. Similar cover p ieces`34 unite the portion 10 to the corresponding half'of the bottom, and the interiork orf-the article'is then lined to produce the finished product. The foregoing structure is old and well known in the art,v and per se formsno part of my present invention.

The board or similar material employed to form the body of the; device, is'considerably weakened by bending asy at '26 and `28, especially when the almost universal' practice of wetting or steaming the board to facilitate bending is employed. Such yabag las above described is probably for most uses the 'most efficient, serviceable and attractive article of luggage possible, but the vpopularity of these containers on the market is diminished by the consideration that they lose their shape so quickly. I have found that the edge 26 is the portion of the bag which yields and loses its shape first. I believe that this results from a large variety of causes. knees of the person carrying the article, and others; it usually receives the impact of manual force or blows employed to close the bag, when it is very full, or when the lock-y ing devices stick; in case a very bulky load is jammed into the device, the bulging of side wall 20 will tend to draw the edge 26 down; and in case too heavy 'a load is carried and frames 12 bend up, the resulting warping of top wall 24, will bend the edge 26 inward. Presumably for these, and other reasons which may or may not be apparent at present, the edge 26 is the rst portion of the bag to weaken and lose its shape, and after it has done so, the remaining portions of the bag soon collapse, so that the article is no longer fit for use.

According to my invention, I reenforce the edge 26 throughout its length. Figure 3 shows a reenforcement 36 in the shape of an angle laid outside walls 24 and 2O and covered by the covering material 30. Such a reenforcing member may obviously be con- This edge is thumped by the structed of ber, metal, or any other suitable material having the desired structural strength. By sewing the covering 30 to the Walls 24; and 20 as at 38, the reenforcement 36 is conveniently and securely fastened in place, and the resulting seams are erna-mene tal rather than otherwise. I have found that doubling the strength and servceability of edge 26, results in a practically equal increase in the life oi'the entire bag. No chain is stronger than. its Weakest link, and as long as edge 26 continues to hold its shape, the entire bag will stand up remarkably Well.

Without further elaboration, the forego ing will so fully explain the gist of my in rention, that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service. It Will, for instance, be obvious that as the size and Weight of the container increases, l may find it desirable to reeniorce edges 28 also by additional reenforcement strips 40 (see Figure 2), and that unusually severe conditions of service might render advisable the use of a reenforcement 4t2 for the lower edge and reenforcement lllfor the end edges.

Where bulky goods are to be carried, any or all of the reenforcements may be extended part or all the Way across one or more Walls.

'In Figure 4L reenforcements 36 and 42 have been extended across the major portion of wall 20, and in Figure 5 Wall 20 is reinforced well in from all four edges and lstrips 40' are! also extended over part of end Walls 22.

ln all the forms disclosed the leather cover provides a uniform exterior. It will hovvever, be obvious, that strip 36 could be laid inside Walls 2G and 2d and covered by the usual lining, although the relative Weakness of the usual lining material might necessitate an additional reinforcement for it also.

These, and many other modifications and alterations will readily occur to those skilled in the art, and may obviously be made Without eliminating certain 4features Which may properly be said to constitute the essential items oil novelty involved in my invention, which items are intended to be defined and ecured to me by the following claims.

l claim: Y

l. ln combination, a container having walls meeting` to define edges, a covering for said Walls, and a reenforcing means extending along one edge and overlying a portion of each of the Walls adjacent thereto, said reen'forcing member 'being slipped between said Walls and said cover, and held in place by stitches uniting said Wall and cover adjacent the edges ot said reenforcement.

2, ln combination, a container having vtwo Walls each of substantially uniform strength throughout, said Walls meeting to define an edge, and a reinforcing strip extending along said edge and overlying a portion of each Wall adjacent said edge to strengthen the same and a covering overlying said strip and Walls to hold the strip in place and provide a uniform exterior surface, said reinforcing strip being of substantially less tl'iickness than the Wall itselfu ln Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 28th day of July, 1921.

EMANUEL DRESNER. 

